Parliamentary watchdog criticise the shut down of hospital over SHA scandal

The National Assembly Committee on Health has criticised the decision to shut down health facilities linked to the Social Health Authority (SHA) scandal, saying it affects patients.

The committee said instead of shutting down the facilities, the government should take legal action against the perpetrators of the scandal and also recover the lost funds.

The Committee Chairman James Nyikal, Ndhiwa MP Martin Owino, Joshua Oron (Kisumu Central), Cynthia Muge (Nandi) and Titus Khamala (Lurambi) have said barring health facilities from providing services on SHA denies citizens medical care.

ALSO READ: From Kagwe to Duale, why SHA scam is deep-rooted rot

Dwale recently issued a directive that banned several health facilities from using SHA because they acquired funds irregularly from the SHA.

Speaking when they visited St Elizabeth Swindon Hospital, Matata Nursing Home, Rachuonyo County Hospital and other health facilities in Homa Bay County, Nyikal told Dwale to take legal action against individual officials found culpable in the theft.

 “Let the health CS invite the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and other law enforcement agencies to take punitive legal measures against the particular officials of health facilities which acquired money from SHA fraudulently. He should not bar health facilities from providing medical care on SHA,” Dr Nyikal said.

Owino said many citizens were suffering from the inability of their nearest hospitals to provide medical care on SHA.

“The moment a health facility is barred from using SHA, the people who suffer are the citizens. Let the poor citizens of Kenya not suffer at the expense of a few officials who perpetrate the crime in the health facilities,” Owino said.

During the visit, various health facilities expressed concerns over challenges they face due to inefficiency in the use of SHA.

At Matata Nursing Home in Rachuonyo South Sub-county, the Director, John Malago, said he had not paid their workers for three months due to difficulties by SHA to pay to reimburse them.

Malago said SHA officials in Nairobi had kept changing goalposts from one office to another when they requested reimbursement.

READ:Sh24 billion feared lost after SHA system collapses

“Workers in my hospital cannot get their salaries because the SHA has not reimbursed us for medical services we provided. I appeal for the issues to be addressed,” Malago said.

Oron said SHA is good, but the systemic challenges should be addressed.

“We are on a fact-finding mission to ensure the challenges affecting SHA are addressed. Otherwise, SHA is good,” Oron said.

Khamala urged patients too to be committed to fighting corruption in the SHA.

The MP argued that patients also participated in the fraudulent acquisition of funds from the SHA at various health facilities.

“The management of health facilities could not commit the fraud in SHA without involving patients. Let patients also be honest to help in the fight against corruption in SHA,” Khamala said.